Moon jellyfish visit the bay

People visiting Newport Bay this week can look down and see the moon - or at least the moon jellyfish.

Hundreds of the translucent creatures ended up in the Rhine Channel after being washed in from sea by tides and wind, said John Scholl, an environmental scientist with Back Bay Science Center.

The jellies turned up here last year at this time in what locals said was a common, but not frequent, occurrence. The jellyfish usually don't sting, although some people experience a short burning sensation. They have four distinctive horseshoe-shaped markings in their centers.